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The President of the General Council of the South African Bar Association, Craig Watt-Pringle SC, has written a letter in his personal capacity to say that he is “deeply concerned” about the personal attacks against two defenders of the Director General and the Cabinet Secretary, Dr. Cassius Lubisi.
Defenders Nazeer Cassim SC and Erin-Dianne Richards wrote to President Cyril Ramaphosa last month through RHK Attorneys, questioning the Presidency’s National Coronavirus Command Council (NCCC). They also indicated their concern about the possible risk of constitutional and democratic malfunction.
READ: Advocates putting life-saving measures at risk after questioning NCC, presidency says
But in a letter dated May 5, Lubisi defended the establishment of the NCCC, led by Ramaphosa, as a coordinated body established to facilitate the job, and the Cabinet gave it authority. He lashed out at Cassim and Richards, saying they were “jeopardizing steps taken to save South African lives.”
Watt-Pringle suggested that Lubisi’s letter cast doubt on the status of Cassim and Richards as court officials.
“We are confident that the above addresses your concerns.
“If not, we invite your clients to constructively propose alternatives rather than threaten us with litigation. Their insistence on jeopardizing all measures taken to save South African lives and ensure public health safety is not in line with our position. respectful of their positions. ” as court officials, “Lubisi wrote, according to Watt-Pringle.
He said Lubisi’s response was troubling because he suggested “that the letter sent on the instructions of two practicing attorneys is conduct that is inconsistent with their status as court officials, implying a lack of professionalism on their part.”
“Their professional status as lawyers is irrelevant and the insult to their behavior ‘as court officials’ is unjustified and regrettable,” said Watt-Pringle.
READ: Craig Watt-Pringle: President DG’s personal attack on defenders closes debate on NCC
In an email sent directly to the Presidency, Cassim has since requested that Lubisi retract the comments.
Watt-Pringle wrote that his letter seemed to indicate that Lubisi wanted to “close” the debate on the NCCC.
“It is worrying that Dr. Lubisi, who speaks for the Presidency and possibly also for the Cabinet, appears to have tried to close the debate on the executive’s adherence to the rule of law by issuing sprinkles on conduct ownership. De Cassim SC and Richards, by invoking their defense status when, in fact, they are expressly acting as private citizens and their conduct does not amount to inappropriate conduct by virtue of their professional status as lawyers and court officials, “he said. .
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